1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a novel form of rhodium metal and to a process for the preparation of said rhodium metal. More specifically, this invention relates to rhodium metal in the form of small, porous, hollow agglomerates of rhodium particles and a process for the preparation of said rhodium from rhodium containing still heels.
2. Prior Art
Rhodium metal is known in the art. It is available commercially and is known to be useful in hydroformylation reactions as a catalyst. In such reactions the rhodium may be complexed with various ligands to render it catalytically active. Normally available rhodium metal, however, does not readily react with ligands to form the liquid complex referred to above. There is a need for a rhodium metal form that can be more readily solubilized to the rhodium complex required for hydroformylation reactions.